U.S. exports fall slightly in November

The Commerce Department reported that U.S. exports of goods and services decreased slightly to $196.4 billion in November from $198.3 billion in October.    The Commerce Department reported that U.S. exports of goods and services decreased slightly to $196.4 billion in November from $198.3 billion in October.  
   However, the department added the goods and services trade deficit improved by $3.2 billion to $39.0 billion in November, aided by lower imports of industrial supplies (such as petroleum) and record-high exports of charges for the use of intellectual property.
   In May 2014, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker launched NEI/NEXT to help more U.S. companies begin exporting and to help companies already exporting increase sales to more overseas markets. The NEI/NEXT strategy focuses on improving data, providing information on specific export opportunities, working more closely with financing organizations and service providers, and partnering with states and communities to empower local export efforts.
   NEI/NEXT builds on the National Export Initiative (NEI) announced by President Obama in 2010. Since the launch of the NEI, more U.S. companies have exported annually, and the United States has seen an increase of 1.6 million export-supported jobs since 2009. U.S. goods and services exports have hit record highs four years in a row, reaching $2.3 trillion in 2013, according to the Commerce Department.
   “We’re highlighting our efforts to increase exports and enhance our commercial relationship with Mexico this week through the High-Level Economic Dialogue launched in 2013,” said Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Stefan M. Selig in a statement. “U.S. goods exports to our second-leading export market continue to be a bright spot, up more than $13 billion through November of this year – an increase of more than six percent from the same period in 2013, and the largest dollar increase so far this year to any single market.”